Simeon: Waiting for the Consolation of Israel

 

Simeon

Today we come to a man named Simeon. All we know about him is found in Luke 2:25-35. His is a very remarkable story, I would even say a powerful story. I’m a simple guy, so once more let’s just go through the passage and see what we can learn about faith from Simeon.

25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
Right away we see four things about this man:

whose name was Simeon – He was named after the second of the 12 sons of Jacob

just and devout – he loved the Lord and was faithful and careful to obey and serve Him

waiting for the consolation of Israel - the consolation of Israel is Messiah, who will bring the kingdom of God (righteousness, peace, joy; deliverance from their enemies). Right away his faith is expressed - he believed the promise of the coming Christ, and he waited patiently for him to come. In addition, since he knew the promises, he knew the 70 weeks of Daniel was fulfilled and the time for Christ to come was upon them. He was waiting and anticipating the coming of Christ, and living a life prepared for him!

and the Holy Ghost was upon him – even though this is the gospel of Luke, these are still Old Testament times and this is the Old Testament way of saying he had been filled with the Spirit. As Luke will later describe Barnabas, “For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith.” (Acts 11:24). This is the “promise of the Father” spoken of by the Lord Jesus and under the New Testament every believer can be filled with the Spirit.

Righteous, devout, waiting for the coming of Christ, the Holy Spirit upon him. I would be happy if someone described me this way!

26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Not only all that, it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. This is truly amazing! He didn’t know exactly when he would die, but he knew it wouldn't be until he had seen Christ. He knew the promises of the coming of Messiah, he had discerned the times and knew it was soon, and he had been told he would personally see the Lord’s Christ. By faith he waited to see Christ.

27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

After the custom of the law – which is described in Luke 2:21-24, And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

This included circumcision on the eighth day and then…

days of her purification – how long was this after he was born? 40 days. But the Jewish practice was, "a new mother does not bring her offering on the fortieth day for a male, nor on the eightieth day for a female, but after her sun is set: and she brings her offering on the morrow, which is the forty first for a male, and the eighty first for a female: and this is the day of which it is said, "when the days of her purifying are fulfilled for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring" (Lev 12:6). 
So this is the 41st day after Jesus was born.

he came by the Spirit into the temple – that is, the Holy Spirit somehow told him to go to the temple, and he did. This is what we now know as being led by the Spirit and walking in the Spirit. He had faith to be filled with the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit. Simeon is basically living the normal Christian life.

28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
This is kind of unexpected – Joseph and Mary walk into the temple and suddenly a man they don’t know takes their baby from their arms! But then perhaps they weren’t too shocked because they had both seen an angel and had shepherds show up the night he was born.

29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
Wow! This is pretty cool!

mine eyes have seen thy salvation – this is, oh praise God, this is so good…salvation is not some thing God gives us or even does for us, salvation is a person, it is Jesus. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

before the face of all people – Simeon saw that Jesus was salvation for all people.

A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel – all the peoples!! Simeon had faith to see that Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, came for all the peoples of the world.

33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
Joseph and his mother marvelled – they were probably still processing the fact that their son is the Messiah. And now this! Sometimes, when we read the gospels, we forget they didn’t know as much as we do. What we know for certain, they were living through and trying to grasp and fathom. Mary just had a baby, he’s 41 days old, and they’re being told he will be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel? This is a lot to take in.

Then Simeon prophesies over them. And it’s a hard word – a sword shall pierce through thine own soul. Why would this be? Simeon saw the pain and sorrow Jesus would endure and that this would break her heart. As Isaiah had prophesied:

He was despised, shunned by men, A man of suffering, familiar with disease. As one who hid his face from us, He was despised, we held him of no account. Yet it was our sickness that he was bearing, Our suffering that he endured. We accounted him plagued, Smitten and afflicted by God; But he was wounded because of our sins, Crushed because of our iniquities. He bore the chastisement that made us whole, And by his bruises we were healed. (Isaiah 53:3-5, Tanakh)

Mine eyes have seen thy salvation - Amen. This child is the Christ, the consolation of Israel, the very one spoken of by Jacob way back in Genesis 49:18, I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD. By faith Simeon was righteous and devout; by faith he was waiting for the consolation of Israel; by faith he had the Spirit upon him; by faith he had been told he would see Christ; by faith he followed the Spirit’s leading and went into the temple; by faith he prophesied over the holy family. He believed that Jesus was the Christ of God.

My prayer is that I would walk in faith like Simeon!

His name is Jesus, Jesus,
Sad hearts weep no more.
He has healed the broken hearted,
Opened wide the prison doors,
He is able to deliver evermore.

TUESDAY: Anna